The Eden Experiment
by Shentropy Vortex
Summary: In the beginning, God created Shenny. And He placed them in the Garden of Eden to increase and multiply, and to fill the earth and subdue it. But can Shel'dam and Pene' find love in the midst of wild animals, untamed forests, and a sneaky serpent? Rated T for nudity (of course). sexual situations and some violence. I do not own the Big Bang Theory or the Book of Genesis.
1. Day 1 & Day 2

**What we have here is an AU of biblical proportions. This actually began as a Shamy fic, but who wants that for the dawn of mankind? I'm trying to be very respectful of the biblical story, and of the Deity who originally wrote it. Hopefully He will be pleased. Basically it's the story of Adam and Eve with Sheldon and Penny cast in the starring roles. God plays Himself. Blessed are the Reviewers, for they bless me! Amen!**

Day 1

**In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. He made day and night, the land and seas, and the sun, moon, and stars. He gave life to animals, birds, and everything that walketh in the earth, and to all that swimmeth in the seas. He blessed them, saying, Get thee busy, and procreate; Fill the earth with thy seed, and multiply. And so the creatures of the earth got busy, and it was good. **

**And God looked, and was pleased with what he had made, and said, I shall make a man, in my own image, who shall walk on the earth and subdue it; and he shall be master over the land and sea, and over the creatures therein. He shall care for them and use them to do good, and bless the earth. And I shall be his father, and he shall be My son; and we shall speak face to face, God to man. **

**So God took a pinch of dust, a sprinkle of sand, and a few drams of water, and formed a man in His own image. And He breathed life into his spirit, and poured substance into his soul. He formed his brain, and gave it great power, to reason, and to gain knowledge, and to understand. He made his heart, to feel emotions and to be wise. And He made his flesh, to be strong on the earth, to make love and life, and to manifest the glory of the Creator on the earth.**

**And God saw the man whom he had created, and was pleased. And he put the man on a lush, vibrant garden planet, and blessed him, saying, Go, take the garden and study it, and experience all of the blessed things I have made. And rule over the animals as a wise and caring master, taking them as fellow workers in the field, caring for them and raising them, and sharing the land with them. And tend to My garden, using all that you need to live, and thrive, and enjoy life on the earth. **

**And He called the man Shel'dam, and sent him into garden, and He saw that it was all good...for now.**

Day 2

_Shel'dam's Mental Log. Have been in the garden for an evening and a morning, still trying to get bearings. After brief orientation from G. explored the garden and established base camp in a grove of palm trees. Barely got a wink of sleep last night. What a cacophony of noise! Birds squawking, bees buzzing, animals howling everywhere. Nothing appears to sleep except me. Have begun slowly organizing the garden, dividing all the flora and fauna into groups, and developing a rough system of classification for the animals. Have observed several pairs of animals engaging in wrestling of a sort, resulting in climax of loud noise and apparent pain. Have not determined the purpose of this horrific activity._

_Today will attempt to develop method of time-keeping in order to develop daily schedule. Also will need to…_

"Good morning, Son."

Shel'dam jumped up from his perch on a rock, "Excuse me? Who's there?"

"Who do you think? Who else here knows how to speak your language?"

"Oh, yes, You breathed life into my nostrils. Thank You that You're here. I have some concerns I'd like to address..."

"You're not even going to greet me, Shel'dam? When someone says Good morning, it's polite to return their greeting."

The man placed his hand on his chest and nodded. "Please forgive my rudeness. Good morning, Sir. I trust you had a pleasant night of sleep."

"Well, as I don't sleep, I really can't complain. But did you see that beautiful constellation that I arranged in the sky last night? Not to brag, but it was very good."

"Yes, they kind of looked like one of those large lizards that kept me up with their stomping and bellowing."

"Really? A dinosaur? I was going for a horse. Oh well. How are my animals doing?"

"Oh, I suppose the better question is _what_ they are doing." Shel'dam raised his head to the Creator. "And when and where are they doing it? All I've seen them do so far is masticate, defecate, and something dreadful that they do in pairs. Quite frightening, really."

"Well, they're only doing what I told them to do."

"And what was that? Keep me awake all hours of the day and night?" The man took on a slightly exasperated tone.

"You will find out soon enough what they are doing. And you will thank Me."

"And when were we going to go over all the guidelines and procedures for organizing and naming all this creatures? You should try sorting all these things out! My stomach is in knots, it's been growling and gnawing at me since yesterday!"

"Didn't you stop and eat? I gave you plenty of fruit and vegetables to eat down there."

Shel'dam looked up with surprise. "Oh. You mean I have to eat? With my hands? And chew it with my teeth and swallow it? With all due respect, that does not seem like a very efficient way of re-energizing the body.'

"Would you rather I put it all in a tablet? You know I gave you tastebuds for a reason."

"It just takes so much time, and there's so much to do!" the man whined.

You do know that there's no deadline to name and sort the animals, right? You literally have all the time in the world."

"Well, it's a good thing, because at this rate, it'll be the day after forever before I can get this place into shape."

"Hmm. It sounds to Me like you could use some help. Someone to be a companion, who could compliment you, and help you do the things you can't do yourself."

Shel'dam's face brightened. "You mean like an assistant? You really are the Almighty!"

"Well, why don't you eat something first. See that tree in the middle of the garden? Go over there and eat one of those fruits, and then I'll tell you what to do next."

Shel'dam walked over to the huge tree that rose on a small hill, and reached up and took a large orange bulb, and bit into it.

"Mmmm! This is very good, what is it?" he said with his mouth full.

"This is the Tree of Life. As long as you eat of it, you will live forever."

"Oh, well that's much better than a tablet. I might be able to make it after all. So where's my helper, and what is next on the schedule?"

"She'll be along later. Now lay down and take a nap."

"What do you mean, She…"

Shel'dam fell down under the tree, fast asleep.


	2. Day 3

Day 3

**And God caused Shel'dam to fall into a deep sleep, and whilst he slept, took a rib out of his side, and formed a helper, calling her Woman. And He breathed life into her spirit, and poured substance into her soul. And He gave her a brain, and gave it great power, to think, to feel, to remember, and to influence the man. And He gave her a great heart, more powerful and forceful than the man's heart, and able to feel emotions much deeper than he. He also gave her a softer, more curvaceous frame, in order to attract the man and make him fall in love with her. And He gave her a womb, so that she would bear many, many children.**

**God placed the woman in the garden with Shel'dam, and then woke him up.**

_Shel'dam's Mental Log, Day 3: The last thing I remember was eating a piece of fruit, and then waking up under the tree, with a twinge of discomfort in my right upper thorax. I had slept through the evening and into the next morning. Now I've fallen behind, and will have to do the work of two of me. It's so hard being the first in everything._

* * *

She opened her eyes and saw sky. She smelled grass, and heard birds singing. She sat up, her blonde head peeping over the top of the tall grass. She scrunched her nose inquisitively, then got on her feet. She started walking, and turned in circles as she walked, trying to take in all her surroundings. She saw the sheep and cattle, the birds flying and kangaroos hopping, and then she heard a loud bellowing. She stopped, crouching behind a bush. She peeked carefully through the branches and saw it.

There was a great woolly creature, with thick legs, a long floppy thing coming out of its face, and two long curvy pokey things coming out of its mouth. It was an amazing creature, and she blinked as it quietly stood, eat grass in the sun.

"Bleaahhh!" She heard the bellowing again. "Stupid animal! Move!'' She looked, and saw it again.

Its backside was turned toward her, and it was taller than she was, and skinnier, but much like her in every way. It had two long arms, which were alternately gesturing wildly and resting on its hips, and two long legs. And it was squawking and bellowing and making noise. She leaned further out and stepped on a branch, making a loud cracking sound. The tall skinny thing whirled around and jumped slightly.

"Who's there?" it squealed, throwing its large hands up defensively.

She slowly stepped out and looked at the noisy creature pensively. Now that she could see its face, she wondered at its blue eyes, straight brown hair, and attractive face. She raised her hand slowly, keeping eye contact, and spoke out, "Hi?"

Shel'dam relaxed and now stood straight and lifted up a shy hand. "Hello," he said, immediately putting his hand down.

They sized each other up for a moment, then he snapped to attention, his face glowing with recognition. "You must be the assistant who was sent for me. And not a moment too soon. I could really use some help with this big hairy thing," He said, turning with a glare toward the animal.

"As-sis-tant?" the woman slowly pronounced, the word feeling strange on her tongue. She placed her hand on her bosom, and spoke slowly and emphatically, "I am Woman."

"Woman? Hmm, doesn't have much of a ring to it, but it beats 'Hey You.'" The man mimicked her introductory gesture. "I am Shel'dam, and I am the master of the domain. It's my job to organize and classify all of the creatures in the garden, and we're already behind schedule."

He turned on his heels and waved at the creature directly in front of him. "This...Maddening Behemoth will not cooperate. I need him to go over there, with the other large quadrupeds." He pointed to a clearing where a bison, a wolf, and a rhinoceros were lazily moving around a small pond.

"Mad..be..moth?" she spoke, trying to understand. "It's big. I don't think it wants to move."

"Yeaaagh! Yeaaugh!" he shouted again, flailing his arms forward at the creature's rear end. It continued chewing its cud without regarding him.

"Yehaa! Yippy-yi-yay!" the woman moved toward it and shouted, waving her arms over her head and dancing in place. The animal grunted and swallowed its food. Then, in search of more grass, he slowly shuffled forward.

"Well done, Miss Woman! We've got him moving now!" Shel'dam began trailing it as it moved toward the clearing. She followed behind at a short distance. After a few steps, the animal stopped, and Shel'dam moved close to its rear.

"No, you monstrosity, keep moving!" he shouted, then bellowed at him again. There was a rumbling sound, then a puff of fetid air erupted from its buttocks, and into the man's face. He immediately began choking and gagging, and the woman instinctively held her nose. Shel'dam doubled over so that he was under the beast's tail. The air was filled with foulness again as a cascade of feces splashed on his shoulder.

The man began screaming and prancing about, waving his arms, trying to remove the filth. His left foot landed in another pile and he let out a high pitched shout, then ran past the creature toward the pond. The woman held her hands over her face, her eyes large with wonder as Shel'dam flew to the clearing and threw himself into the mirky water. He continued thrashing about, sending several birds flying for cover. Finally, he grabbed a stone and began scouring his body, punctuated by his cries of "Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!"

He had rubbed himself raw when he finally calmed down, then turned to see the animal standing in the clearing, lapping blades of grass into its mouth from the woman's left hand, as she stroked its masssive head with her right. As Shel'dam climbed out of the water, he could hear her softly cooing, "Mamb'moth...Mamb'moth...aww, who's my big furry baby?". He stopped, considering the scene before him.

"Well, I guess we showed that one!" Shel'dam sniffed, straightening himself proudly.

The woman looked at him and smiled. "Yep, we sure did." She turned back to the creature and whispered, "And you showed him how not to stand behind a feeding Mamb'moth."

* * *

They stood beneath the branches of the Tree, eating purple fruit and watching the sun move past the ridge in the distance.

"So," the woman slurped, juice running down her chin. "We eat these, we'll live forever?"

"That's what the Creator said," Shel'dam explained. "And please do not eat with your mouth full, it's impolite."

"Mmmph?" she mumbled, her cheeks bulging with hunks of sweet fruit.

Suddenly, the air felt cooler and the wind picked up, and they were aware of a Presence near them.

"Good evening, Son. I see you've met your mate, Woman."

"Yes, we've been able to become acquainted with one another today while trying to organize the garden," he nodded, looking upward. "Excuse me, did you just say she was my mate?"

"Why yes, I created her just for you. She's going to help you live, increase, and multiply in the garden. I'm quite pleased with her, if I do say so myself."

The woman looked, hunching herself sheepishly. "Uh, Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but Who are You?"

"Ah, Daughter. I am Your Father. I created you from Shel'dam's rib."

"That explains this!" the man exclaimed, pointing to a tiny scar in his side. "You ripped the bones right out of my own body and created…her?"

"Well, Shel'dam, aren't you pleased with what I have made? She's perfect for you."

He looked at her, taking in her fair, smooth skin, her curved hips, smaller extremities, slighter build, and especially her full breasts. He worked his mouth quizzically, analyzing the woman and assessing her fitness as a mate. He continued to the round face, with its fuller lips, bright greenish-gold eyes, and winsome features, punctuated by her pleasant smile, and framed by long blonde hair that hung in loose waves past her shoulders.

"Well, she has proven herself quite helpful in assisting me with the animals. Indeed, she seems to have a way of making them obey her with minimal effort." He turned back to the sky. "I suppose she will compliment me quite well in completing the tasks I have been assigned. Thank You, Sir."

"Good to hear, Son. And how was your first day in the garden, Daughter?"

She became somewhat demure, trying to please her Father. "Well, Sir, I met a Mammoth, a Wolf, and a pair of bluebirds today."

Shel'dam looked at her critically and then interrupted. "Sir, I must say that we have NOT agreed on the official names for any of these animals. Until we have signed off on them, they will be known as Big Wooly Longnose, Howling Furry Tail, and Blue…tweeters."

"Shel'dam, you really need to relax. I created this garden for you to enjoy and explore, not to fret about."

The man, realizing that God was all too able to force him to take a rest, relented from his complaints. "Well, thank You for Your concern, I will take that as a sign that it is time to retire."

He turned to the woman, and gestured over to the palm grove. "Miss Woman, let's go back to the base camp and prepare for the evening."

They walked quietly, listening to the rush of the wind in the trees as twilight fell over the land. They neared a stand of palms where the ground was covered with a thick carpet of mossy grass.

"So, this is where you sleep at night?" the woman asked, looking hesitantly at the soft green carpet of foliage.

"Yes, it's quite satisfactory, although as you will find out, the animals have no regard for my need for quiet." He sat down on the carpet, reaching out for an aloe plant and spreading its soothing sap on his still-tender skin.

"Oh, let me help you with that," she said, kneeling down and reaching for the plant.

"Miss Woman, I do not need assistance with my evening ablutions," he said, sliding back away from her grasp. "But you are more than welcome to use any of the plants for your own personal hygiene."

She leaned back, her face slightly downcast at his rebuff. "Okay, well, where do I lay down?"

The man looked around and lifted his arm expansively. "Oh, well, there are acres and acres of this soft grass in this grove. Pick any place you would like, just as long as it is not adjacent to my Spot."

She slumped her shoulders slightly, trying to be a good mate but somewhat bothered by his distant attitude. She found a spot about 20 feet away from his location in the palms, and lay on her back, looking at the moon and stars of the night sky. She listened to the sounds of the animals in the distance, and smelled the sweet scents of the garden. She closed her eyes and smiled. Even though she was tired, she was excited about another day of exploring with Shel'dam.


	3. Day 4

**Shel'dam and Pene' take notice of each other. Who knew watching water fowl could be so hot? Thanks for all of your reviews, follows and favorites!**

Day 4

_Shel'dam's Mentalog© Day 4: Spent night with Woman at base camp. Talked incessantly about the "pretty" beasts and the "gorgeous" jungle. Talking didn't stop when she fell asleep. Hummed incoherently all night long. Worst night so far. Somehow ended up within three feet of my Spot by morning. As if we didn't have a whole garden to sleep in. _

_Miss Woman has gone to find food to break our fast. Obviously didn't pay attention to Tree of Life orientation. Will have to train her in the field on all the proper procedures. Father, give me strength!_

The woman's stomach was growling. She knew she could have easily went to the Tree of Life to eat again, but she had seen some interesting fruits and vegetables during the previous day's exploration, but not wanting to upset Shel'dam, who only ate when he absolutely had to, she had refrained from plucking anything out in the field. Now, her hunger was driving her straight to a medium-sized tree with long yellow fruit with thick skin. The color and shape had intrigued her, but her interest turned into delight when she peeled them to reveal soft, sweet flesh that seemed to melt in her mouth. The first bite was so delicious that she devoured an entire fruit in the second bite, then stuffed another whole one on top of that. "Buh-nuh-nuh!" she exclaimed, the gooey goodness filling her cheeks and squishing out of her lips. The silly word meant nothing, but it seemed fitting for no other reason than the banana's yummy pleasure made her giddy.

She would've eaten the entire tree's crop right there, but with so much to taste and see, she decided to restrain herself, grabbing four of the fruits and cradling them in her arm as she set off for a berry bush with plump red globs of sweetness just waited to be plucked…and eaten!

* * *

Shel'dam chewed the fruit of the Tree of Life slowly. It was quite satisfying, and the flavor, though now becoming familiar, was still quite good, and besides, he couldn't wait for the woman any longer, as his stomach was protesting its empty state. It was bad enough that she had to go gallivanting off into the jungle in search of wild fruit, but now the sun had moved a whole handbreadth up in the sky, which was completely decimating his already tight schedule. They were going to go sort the water fowl today, as well as separate the four-legged creatures with fur from the four-legged ones with scales, and…

The sound of groaning broke him out of his mental list-checking and led him around toward the base camp, where the woman was slowly walking, her arms laden with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Her face was smeared with all colors of fruit juice and pulp, and she was moaning in discomfort.

"You've been gone longer than I expected," Shel'dam snapped, furrowing his brow in disapproval. "Now look at you, covered with goop and waddling like one of those feathered fowl. I hope you enjoyed yourself."

"Oooh…" she groaned, dropping her load of food in a pile near his Spot. "Ooh, I enjoyed myself too much…ugh!" She rubbed her hands over her swollen stomach, then released a loud guttural noise from her mouth that sounded like one of the rhino's grunts. She plopped down on her back next to the pile, and lay down, huffing and puffing from her long journey.

"Well, you look like you had a good breakfast. But this is no time for taking a rest. We have many things we need to do today and we're already running behind…"

"Oh, please, Shel'dam," she pleaded, her eyes wide with discomfort. "I just need to let my stomach settle, and then I'll freshen up and be ready to explore…uuhh…" She squirmed about, trying to find some comfortable position.

"Well, you're useless in your present state, so I will start out for the lake, and you can meet me there when you feel the urge to start the day!" He was incensed by what he perceived as her foolishness, and stomped over to the walking stick he had hewn from a branch, and headed out, leaving the woman sprawled on the ground.

* * *

"Good morning, Daughter." The Creator's voice was near, even though he was unseen. "How are you feeling?"

It had been some time since Shel'dam had set out for the lake, and the woman was now sitting up, her stomach no longer aching, but she still felt a little winded from her morning activities. She was a little upset because he had left her in such a poor state, even if it was of her own doing. She wanted so much to show Shel'dam that she was a good mate and helper. And yet, she also wanted to go out on her own and make her own discoveries and adventures. She perked up when she heard the Father speak to her in his strong but gentle voice.

"Oh, Father, much better, thank you," she said somewhat sheepishly. "I think I did a little too much breakfasting this morning," she said, sitting up and leaning back on her hands.

"Too much of a good thing is still too much," He said lovingly. "You have the same tendency as Shel'dam; you try to do too much too quickly, and you get little pleasure out of your effort."

"I'm not as bad as he is," she protested, then realized her impertinence and changed her tone. "I mean, he's not bad, he's just so…"

"Punctilious? Fastidious? Supercilious? Persnickety?" the Father answered.

"Uh, I don't know those words…I was going to say he was a stick in the mud."

The Maker laughed so hard the trees shook and the sky grew bright, making the sun blush with envy. "Oh, how you bless Me, My beloved one. I know he is hard to understand, but I have made him this way in order to compliment you as much as you compliment him."

"So, he's kind of _my_ helper, too?" she said, a sneaky smile playing at her lips.

"You will help each other, because you are flesh of the other's flesh, and bone of the other's bone. You fit together to make a complete unit. He is strong where you are weak, and you are strong where he is weak. And there are some places where you may both be strong or weak, but one will rise to lift up the other. I am pleased so far with how you are both doing, but these things take time. He has chosen to focus on the task rather than the prize. But do not be discouraged, My lovely one. He will find the way soon enough, and then you will be one in flesh and spirit."

She smiled demurely, because she liked it when He called her "beloved" and "lovely." "I want to be the best mate I can be for him. How can I make him see that I respect him and want to make him happy?"

"You can't _make _him see anything," the Father answered. "But if you are true and faithful to Me and who I made you to be, you will reveal it to him in your own special way, and he will be captivated by what he sees."

"I understand, I think," she said, smiling at her God's loving wisdom. "I love you, Papa."

"I love you too, sweet _Pene'." ***  
_

She wondered what he had meant by calling her that, but he had moved through the trees and did not explain its meaning. But she loved the sound of it all the same.

* * *

Shel'dam crouched in the rushes, watching the two water fowl intently, trying to see what they would do next. They had been circling each other for a while now, and it seemed like one was waiting for the other to make a move. They weren't going to fight, were they? Aside from the loud coupling he had seen amongst the animals, they otherwise had been marvelously well behaved: He even saw a giant feline eating grass alongside a sheep on the way to the lake. _I swear, if the bright one mounts the dark one, I'm going to have to speak to the Maker about this,_ he thought to himself. He was about to adjust his weight on the stick to stabilize himself when he heard a loud splashing from across the lake.

He turned to see the woman on the opposite shore. He shook his head and sighed testily as he watched her step into the water. _She couldn't even join me in the field without fooling around, _he groused silently. Then he noticed her walking out into the deeper water, slowly submerging herself. She was washing all the mess from the morning off her bare body. He had been studying her physical features since she had arrived the day before, and analyzed the similarities and differences between them, noting that her figure did seem pleasing to the eye, but overall she was essentially a weaker version of himself.

But there was something different now. She had risen back up out of the water and was back in the shallows, her body glistening in the mid-day sun, her hair matted on her back and breasts. He had not seen her like this before, and suddenly the features that he once observed critically now appealed to him on an entirely different level. She bent at the waist, then shook the water from her hair, its long tendrils darkened and tousled by the moisture, and moving in the air like the ruffled feathers of the birds. She stood up, throwing her hair back, and he immediately noticed her enlarged nipples, and his eyes were transfixed. As if she knew where his eyes were falling, she rubbed the stains from her breasts, and seemed equally as impressed by the change in their shape, squeezing them with her hands. He found himself licking his lips as he watched her stroke her undulating stomach, marveling at the fluid way it contracted and expanded. He blinked his drying eyes as she rubbed her arms and legs slowly, making sure all of the grime from the past day was gone.

Then, she suddenly stopped and looked right at him, and Shel'dam fell back, losing his balance.

"Shel'dam?" she cried out, and he turned to run, but instead stumbled sideways as he fell into the water. He began flailing wildly, sending the fowl flapping away over the surface of the waves. The woman immediately ran into the water and dove forward, instinctive paddling her arms and legs across the lake. Shel'dam continued to struggle, and feared he would drown, but then his feet found the muddy floor of the shallows, and he stood up, submerged to his waist.

By this time, the woman had made it across the narrow cove, and now paddling in place, about ten yards from the man. She looked at his wet body, the wetness clinging to the hairs on his chest, his muscles seemingly more defined by the water drops tricking down their surface. His hair had been disheveled, and now wet strands dangled in his eyes, and water dripped from his prominent chin. But what she really had wanted to see was hidden beneath the surface. Maybe she could chase him out?

But other ideas appeared in her whirling mind. "You look so silly," she said, spitting water from her mouth. "It's really nice in the water. You should join me."

Even she was surprised by the forwardness of her invitation. Shel'dam squirmed a little and then stuck his chin out proudly. "We have no time for playing in the water like birds," he said firmly. "We have many animals to catalog, and I've lost half a day already." He turned so that his pale profile was against the green trees. She watched as he ascended from the waters, observing the front and back of his waist, thighs, and buttocks, and then saw his ample private. Now he had her attention, as she swallowed the spittle in her suddenly dry mouth.

"Come along, Miss Woman," he said, standing on the shore. "I've completed my obligatory near-drowning exercise for the day."

She sighed, then walked up out of the water. He now had a full frontal view of her flesh as it rose from the water, and all of the things he had noticed before suddenly seemed ten times larger and more real.

_Pene'._ The word entered his mind unbidden, filling his mind with a pleasure that only magnified the feast his eyes were gorging on. _What does it even mean, _he asked silently.

_Pene'_. The word fit her, seemed to encompass all the things about her that drove him mad, made him blush, that made him lie awake at night and think. Or was it even a thought at all? Was it a sensation, a feeling, like the cold air on his wet skin, or the tingle that moved through him as he looked at her now. Whatever it was, he knew that from this day forward it would the name by which he called her.

She walked up to him, about five feet away, and then wildly shook her head side to side, sending huge drops of lake water flying into his face. He held his hands up defensively, as if she had really attacked him, and she laughed at his cowering.

"You're as wet as I am, so stop being so sheepish!" she snickered, putting her hands on her hips.

But it wasn't the drops of water coming off of her hair and body that made him recoil. It was the images his eyes would seize upon and replay in his dreams that made him seek whatever meager protection his hands could provide.

* * *

The night sky twinkled with a thousand lights, and the swelling moon was rising in the heavens. The man and the woman sat cross-legged, he in his usual Spot, she now only a few feet away, arranging a circle of flowers around a pile of palm fronds. She seemed to take great care in attending to her place, and then moved over to Sheldon to place some fronds by him. He looked at her quizzically, though not with the same condescension as earlier.

"What are you doing?" was his simple question.

"Just brightening up our beds," she said, brushing the palm leaves down by him.

"Beds?" he questioned, for once not understanding her meaning.

"Yes, our beds. It's where we sleep, you know." She looked up at him with a sarcastic smile.

"No, it's where I thrash about all night long while you and every other creature in the garden snore, growl, howl, and murmur the night away."

"I do not snore!" she protested, throwing a palm leaf at him.

"You most certainly do! Why, it sounded like one of the large cats growling!" He folded his arms and leaned back on the palms. He noticed an apple to the right of his head, snatched it and took a bite.

"I didn't think you liked my wild fruit," she said, reaching for a bunch of red grapes.

"Well, it's certainly not as good as the Life fruit," he said, swallowing a bit of apple. "But it's alright for an evening snack."

She smiled with a surly look as she popped a grape in her mouth. "Oh, okay, well, that's a great idea."

"I detect a note of sharpness to that statement. You were not being genuine when you said that."

"Of course I was Shel'dam. I am, after all, your helpmate.

"No matter, Pene', I will still finish my fruit."

She dropped her grapes and looked at him slack-jawed. "How…why…who….where did you hear that name?" She leaned over to him on her hands and knees.

"It's my new name for you. As I stated, Woman does not have a ring to it. It's not, as you would say, a "pretty" name. Do you like it?"

She dared not tell him about the Father calling her that name. He dared not tell her it had invaded his thoughts as he watched her naked body climb out of the lake. Each was sure the other would not understand. But he was right, it did sound a lot nicer than "Miss Woman." It sounded like a term of endearment, like what a man would call his mate.

"I like it," she said, leaning back on the ground. "I like it a lot."

"Very well Pene'," he said, also leaning back. "Now let's try to get some rest. I have something special planned for tomorrow."

"Oh really? Are we taking a vacation? Going on a trip to other side of the jungle?" she asked eagerly.

"Not quite. But we'll talk about it in the morning, Pene'."

Pene' looked up the sky hopefully. She couldn't imagine tomorrow being more revealing than today.

* * *

***Pene' comes from the Hebrew word for "face".


	4. Day 5

**It's been a while, but I had started this chapter before chapter 3, so this was supposed to be Day 4. Confused? This is where a shadow of darkness enters into the garden idyll...**

Day 5

_Shel'dam's Mental Log Earthdate 01.04: Have developed a system of days, hours, and minutes based on solar movements. Feeling very warm and fuzzy about this. Have decided to forego zoological project in favor of working on a timekeeping device. Will assign Pene' with task of animal studies in the jungle sector. Hoping that I will not regret it..._

Pene' stood perfectly still, her cheeks puffed out with her suspended breath, her eyes turned inward toward her nose. On its tip a long slender insect fanned its broad, beautiful blue-and-gold wings, tickling her with its tiny feet. She had sucked her breath in when she saw the ornate creature flutter over her head as she walked through the jungle, her mouth agape with each magnificent discovery. But now, the feather-light bug seemed to be resting contentedly on her face, so she held her breath, not wanting to frighten it away.

But she was starting to feel dizzy, so she loudly exhaled, and the creature winged away, floating in a zig-zag pattern to a long leaf on a nearby bush. She felt a little forlorn to have to say goodbye to the beautiful thing, but she really couldn't linger in any one place too long. Shel'dam had given her explicit instructions to try to catalog in her mind as many animals as she could while it was day. She had started out well, spotting small web-footed animals with large beaks, who waddled and made something like a "wack-wack" honking sound, to larger furry creatures that had pointy ears long tails, and long strings sticking out of their face. Oh, and they had the most beautiful golden eyes. But the more amazing creatures she saw, the more she would stop and observe them, wondering at how the Maker had given them the exact traits they needed to thrive in the garden.

"Bye-bye, flutter-by," she said with a twinge of sadness, then made a mental note of the name she had made up; Shel'dam would surely be impressed when they had their daily debriefing. She moved on through the jungle, looking at all of the amazing trees and flowers that were growing around her. She felt like Father was speaking to her with every fresh, green leaf, every beautiful bloom, and every majestic tree. And with every rustling branch, every calling bird, and every sweet scent she heard these creations singing praises, telling Him how thankful they were for their life in this beautiful world. She was so overwhelmed with this feeling that she lifted her head and twirled around and around. _Look at me, Papa! I'm dancing_, her heart cried. She was so lost in her ecstasy that her foot caught on a root, and she nearly fell to the ground. Catching herself, she stood up, and was awed by what she saw next.

There, pulling berries from a bush, was a large, imposing creature, almost as tall as she was, but much more bulky, its body round and low to the ground. Its skin and fur were black and lustrous in the afternoon sun. Its head was large and pointed, and its long arms looked strong enough to tear down the trees that surrounded it. Yet, its hands were almost delicate as they picked the berries from the branches, its fingers long and articulate. Its most impressive feature was its face, with a large, toothy mouth, broad, flaring nose, and two of the most beautiful brown eyes, which looked upon the woman with curiosity, as if it were as impressed as she was.

Pene' didn't know what to do; while she wanted to observe the creature like the others, she also felt drawn to it, as if they shared an unspoken bond. In one fast movement, the animal threw a berry in its mouth, place its arms on the ground and moved a step closer, and the woman jumped, startled. The creature had the same curious look, however, and tilted its head, as if trying to size her up.

The woman stood still and reached out her hand. "Hello?" she said quietly.

The animal took another step closer, walking on its hands, then tilted its head the other way, furrowing its great brow. It made a gentle grunting sound, then took yet another step closer. The woman began to calm down, but still maintained eye contact. The creature reached out to the woman, mimicking her friendly gesture.

Warming up to the animal, she used her innate social skills to connect. "Who are you? You look beautiful. I am Pene'," she said, using her usual gesture. The animal patted its chest and grunted twice, then moved closer.

"Oh, well, nice to meet you…Lady Ape," she responded, not sure where the name came from or how she knew it was a female. Perhaps she just had a sense for it, like she did with all of the animals. She then reached out and touched her great paw, and the gesture gave Lady the confidence to close the distance between the two. The animal reached up and touched the woman's shoulder, then lifted a lock of her long hair. Instinctively, the woman placed her hand on the fur of the animal's shoulder, feeling the soft black hairs and the rippling muscles.

Lady's lips pouted and her eyes widened in a gesture that the woman knew was one of trust. She smiled, and gripped the animal's paw tightly. She had not only made a discovery, but also a new friend.

* * *

Shel'dam shielded his eyes as he looked towards the sun as it slowly descended towards the horizon. He noted its position, then turned back to the five-foot-tall stick he had buried in the ground. He observed the shadow that was cast by the light, then etched another mark in the earth at the end of its image. He had made over 20 such marks over the course of the day, and the long hours in the sun had darkened his light skin. Although he had done little else, he felt it had been a productive day. At least now he would have a way to mark the sun's journey across the sky, and be able to further fine-tune his ever-increasing schedule.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, and turned quickly, expecting yet another animal to have wandered into the base camp, which would mean hours of trying to coax, goad, or bribe it back into its designated location. He was surprised to see the woman, beaming with a proud grin, walking side-by-side with a hulking black furry creature of considerable size. The animal looked fearsome in its build and strength, but the woman seemed completely at ease with the brute as she waved to him and shouted a greeting.

"Shel'dam! Look what I found! Isn't she beautiful? She's so smart, and friendly! And do you see what she gave me?" The woman turned her head to reveal a bright pink and white flower in her hair. "I call her Lady Ape, and she's a woman, just like me!" The great animal stopped and seemed to lift its head proudly with her new title.

"She is most certainly NOT a woman!" Shel'dam retorted with a look of disapproval. "She looks like she could tear us limb from limb. And you brought her into the camp! She needs to go back to the jungle, she looks hungry!" Lady chuffed her lips as if she was annoyed, then turned her back on the skittish man.

"How rude, Shel'dam! I brought her here as my guest! Now you apologize!" Pene' was imperious, her hands on her hips, eyes full of fire.

"Apologize?" he whined, then looked at the noble creature as she continued to turn her back, her long arms folded around her stomach. "Oh, for—Alright, I apologize for my lack of hospitality!"

He looked at the woman and mouthed silently, "She's still not a woman!" to which she mouthed back, "I don't care! Be nice!" Then she looked at the man forcefully and spoke up, "Why don't you offer her one of those bananas we found yesterday."

A few minutes later, Lady was happily munching on the soft flesh of the yellow fruit, and seemed to have forgotten all about Shel'dam's slight. After a hug from Pene', she loped back to the middle of the jungle. Shel'dam stood over his time device with his arms folded as the sun went down. The woman approached him cautiously, wary of his negative mood.

"Shel'dam? I didn't mean to frighten you. I was just so excited about all of the animals I found today," she said, looking up at him with big, apologetic eyes.

"I wasn't frightened," he blurted, turning to her and leaning forward. "This is our base camp, and I do not want creatures running amok in our beds. But I am interested to hear your findings today."

She smiled and excitedly spoke. "Yes, well, I found wack-wacks, and whisker-paws, and Lady even introduced me to her mate. Oh, and I had the most beautiful little flutter-by on my nose!" She pointed to her face, then mimicked the insect's delicate flying motion with her arms.

"Well, it sounds like you had an eventful day, although I still don't understand your connection with this, what did you call it, Ape?" Shel'dam looked quizzically at the woman.

"I can't explain it, but, we became friends like that," Pene' snapped her fingers. "All of the animals are our friends. You just have to trust them, and they will trust you."

"Well then, you shall be our team zoologist," he said, nodding his head. "And I will focus on flora and numbers and heavenly bodies."

"Zoologist," Pene' said, slowly pronouncing the new word. She looked over at Shel'dam's time stick, and noticed the lines in the dirt. "Is this the 'something special' you were talking about last night?"

Shel'dam perked up, his eyes bright with excitement. "Yes! Isn't it amazing? I've created a timekeeping apparatus!" He walked over to the stick and proudly waved his hand over it. "You see, the stylus creates a shadow that moves as the sun crosses the sky, and the marks indicate at which point the shadow was over the course of the day!" He beamed with pride over his invention, and Pene' was proud for him. "Now I can know exactly at which point of the day we should be on the daily agenda!"

Pene' smiled, shaking her head. "It's always about the schedule, huh?" She moved in closer to Shel'dam, looking in his eyes. "I think you worry about when and where to do things and forget to enjoy what you're doing."

He straightened out, moving back slightly. "Well, schedules are important, they help us stay on task and give us structure. Without order, the garden would fall into chaos. Father would not be pleased with us if we let things fall into anarchy."

"But He also isn't pleased when we worry ourselves into a tizzy," Pene' said, reaching out and placing a hand on Shel'dam's arm. "That's why He's given us freedom to go through the jungle and find things out as we go. He wants us to appreciate what we have here. The animals aren't worried about how many things they do in a day. Why should we?"

He started to protest, but she placed her finger in front of her lips and made a gentle "shhh" sound. "Mr. Man, it's going to be alright. Father made everything to work together and live. We should trust Him that it's all good."

Shel'dam blinked, genuinely dumbfounded at her wisdom. She moved in close again and patted his back, running her fingers in a circular pattern on his shoulder. He stiffened momentarily, then relaxed as he felt her soothing touch. She began to wiggle her fingers on his skin, tickling him gently. His eyes rolled back and he snickered, his cheeks pulling into dimples. She giggled as she watched his child-like demeanor. It made her feel good to know she could relieve the pressure that he was putting on his own shoulders.

"Hey, I'm hungry," she said as her stomach twitched. "Let's grab a Life fruit to go and take a walk."

He straightened up, as if he had been woken from a dream. "I had planned to continue tracking the sun's path until it sets, then tabulate the marks and calibrate them into a working chronological model…"

"Uh-uh-uh! No more timekeeping!" Pene' barked, her eyes firm. "Last one to the Tree of Life is a hairy longnose!" She darted off toward the Tree, looking back at him and smiling.

"It's a woolly mammoth, and—" he stopped, seeing her take off, then began to chase after her with quick, smooth strides. "Be careful! We shouldn't be running through the jungle…"

* * *

They walked, laughing and munching their fruit, his a red plum and her an oblong purple sphere. She pointed at every new creature, every new flower, and even found a clear spring gurgling under a tree. The man would make observations and note the particulars of every living thing she pointed out, and Pene' placed her hand on his shoulder again. He was beginning to grow quite comfortable with the woman's touch, and even returned it, patting her back and rubbing her neck with his strong right hand.

Suddenly, a growling noise erupted from a clump of trees near a ridge. Without thinking, Shel'dam grabbed Pene's hand, and draw her close protectively. She huddled next to him and watched the bushes shake with bated breath. In a few moments, two large tan animals—what Pene' called whisker-paws but Shel'dam called felines—ambled out of the bushes, a male and a female. Shel'dam, realizing there was no danger, huffed dismissively and dropped Pene's hand.

"It's just the felines copulating, again!" Shel'dam said with a hint of disgust. "Honestly, all that heavy breathing and groaning and rubbing against each other, for what? There's no winner of the contest."

Pene' leaned into Shel'dam and took his hand back. "Well, they don't seem to be hurting each other. Maybe there isn't a winner. Maybe they like it."

"They must enjoy it, as often as all the animals do it in this garden!" He held on to her hand this time, looking to the ridge. "Let's go up there and take in a higher view of things."

They climbed the gentle slope of the ridge, which rose about 15 feet above the garden floor. At the top, a tall, heavily-foliaged tree stood, with shiny green fruit dangling in bunches. Both of them had gotten a little winded after the climb, and saw that fruit of the tree was good. Shel'dam reached up to pluck one of them, when a low rumble echoed across the sky, from far of in the horizon, to just above their heads.

"_Shel'dam! Pene'! Do not eat that fruit!" _Father's voice rumbled with an urgency they had never heard before. It was so surprising that the two of them physically jumped, and crouched defensively.

"Papa, what's wrong?" the woman spoke up, looking up at the strangely brightened sky. "We were a little hungry, and just wanted a bite to eat."

"I knew something wasn't right about that tree," said Shel'dam nervously. "It's the only one on this ridge!"

"This is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil," the Maker intoned gravely. "You may eat of any tree or plant in the garden, but you must never eat anything from this tree, or you will die."

"Die? What does that mean?" Shel'dam squawked.

"It means that you will stop living, and return to the dust that you came from."

"You mean it'll be like we sleep...forever?" Pene' asked, looked to God with questioning eyes.

"All of this would pass away, but My Truth will last forever. You will need to trust Me that I will take care of you, and that you do not need this Knowledge to live in this beautiful world I have given you. Do you understand?" Even though His voice was firm and uncompromising, the Father's love for His children permeated the air like warm energy.

"Yes, sir." Shel'dam said, placing his hands at his sides.

"We'll stay away from it, we promise," Pene' said, nodding.

The air rustled with movement and the sky dimmed, and the Father had moved beyond them to another place in the garden. Pene' and Shel'dam found themselves clutching each other, their faces frozen in awe. After a moment, they broke hold and Pene' started to walk back down the trail.

"We need to get away from this tree," she said, her voice edged with fear.

"But I want to look down at the garden," he pouted, turning back towards the forest beneath. "This place has a different viewpoint, and I want to observe things from up high."

"You heard the Father," Pene' chided, looking at him sternly. "We don't need to be up here to see that everything is good."

"But I can see so much more ground up here," he protested. "It gives me clarity, and inspiration, and ideas about how to make it better."

Pene' climbed back up and grabbed Shel'dam's arm, forceably pulling him down the rise. "Let's go! It's getting dark!"

Shel'dam huffed with irritation as the woman led him down the ridge to the garden floor, then he turned and gave the tree one last look before falling in step with his mate.

* * *

They walked back to the camp silently, and sat quietly munching pears as the sky grew dark and the moon and stars rose in the sky. After a long time, Shel'dam cleared his throat and tossed the stem of his pear into the bushes.

"I'm getting ready for bed," he announced quietly. "Do you need any aloe for your skin, or fronds for your head?"

She looked up at him and then shook her head, as if she were coming awake. "Huh? Oh. Uh, yeah, that would be nice." She looked at him with a faint smile.

"There's plenty of both over there," he said, pointing to the far side of the moss bed. "Could you bring me some, as well?"

She huffed slightly, then walked over and grabbed them off of the ground with a tight jaw. Shel'dam laid back and folded his hands behind his head, looking at the night sky. He was lost in the arrangement of the stars when a large pile of fronds and flowers landed beside his ear.

"You almost hit me with those," he said, jumping up. "That's far too many for my bed. And those flowers are unnecessary."

She placed her hands on her hips, twisting her lips into a look of determination. "If you're going to run me around like that, then I expect my bed to be next to yours."

"And why would you want that? There's only so much space beneath this palm tree, and two bodies take up too much of that space."

"I want to sleep with you tonight," she said, trying to take the edge off of her voice. "It's cold, and I get scared with all of the animals."

"How do you know they're not scared of you?" he quipped with a smirk. Pene's eyes fluttered and she sniffed, then grabbed some of the fronds and flowers.

"Okay, I won't bother you," she said, her eyes growing red and moist. "I'll stay over here and keep myself warm."

Shel'dam sat up straight and watched as the woman slowly trudged back over to her area, sobbing and wiping her face. Seeing her in distresss filled him with an urge to comfort her and make things better. In spite of himself, he knew what she needed, and spoke to her in a strong but conciliatory tone.

"Pene'...you may sleep with me, if you wish. I will make sure you are warm and safe. Come, come." He patted the green moss next to him.

She audibly squealed, quickly sniffling up her tears and nearly ran to her Spot next to his. She dropped her bedding on the ground as he held up a finger.

"I do, however, reserve the right to nudge you if you start to snore, mumble, or sing in your sleep."

"You may nudge me all night long, if you wish!" she giggled, her face large with joy. She kneeled down and immediately began arranging her leaves and flowers into a dainty pile. Shel'dam got up on his knees, watching her with a satisfied grin. He had to admit, the idea of being close to the woman filled him with a strange sort of excitement. But today had been a day of new discoveries and surprises. Why should it stop when the sun went down?

* * *

Near the Tree of Life, beneath a low-lying bush, a slender creature with bright green skin and long tail crouched in its nest, observing the couple as they laughed and threw leaves at each other. His tongue flicked at the night air, as if drawing the heat and scent from the air itself. Blinking his large red eyes, he turned his large head to nibble a leaf before returning to his vigil. A desire for the woman and what she shared with the man began to stir his cold blood. _Tomorrow, _he thought to himself, _tomorrow we will meet and we'll become best friends forever..._


End file.
